Here’s a really terrific Coconut Curry Sauce with beautiful depth of flavour yet is made with everyday spices. It’s an Indian style sauce – outrageously addictive, and pairs beautifully with chicken, vegetables and legumes.
I’ve used made a Coconut Curry with pumpkin, lentils and cashews here, but see the recipe for the “formula” to use it for what you please! On the table in 30 minutes.
Easy Coconut Curry Sauce
If you’ve ever dumped curry powder into liquid then stomped your foot in a huff when you found the sauce to be meh, then this easy Coconut Curry Sauce is for you!
You’re going to absolutely love that you can find all the spices at supermarkets.
You’re going to adore the beautiful coconut flavour that mingles with the spices.
You’ll go bonkers over how it tastes like a full flavoured coconut Indian curry – except you made it in 30 minutes from scratch.
And you’re going to really enjoy lapping up all the compliments from your family and friends. (“OMG that’s the best curry I’ve ever had!!” <– True story, text from a friend)
Coconut curry sauce spices
The spices in the coconut curry sauce are:
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curry powder
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tumeric
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coriander
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cumin
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paprika
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garam masala*
Curry powder is the base for this Easy Coconut Curry, but it’s too bland if you don’t add other spices. I experimented with various combinations and tried to cut down on the number of spices but it just wasn’t the same. So they’re all staying in!
What is garam masala?
Garam masala is a crucial spice mix in Indian cooking and smells like a potent curry powder. It really makes a difference in simple curry sauces, so be sure not to skip it! Here in Australia, you’ll find it at all the major supermarkets nowadays, and it costs no more than other spices.
Making the coconut curry sauce
There’s nothing tricky about the coconut curry sauce:
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Sauté onion, garlic and ginger (fresh please!);
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Add Spices and cook – this brings out the flavour of the spices, making them bloom;
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Add coconut milk, tomato passata (tomato puree in the States, or even Tomato Sauce) plus chicken or vegetable broth/stock;
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Simmer to bring the flavours together
And there you have your curry sauce. And this is where you can unleash your wild side and let the creative juices flow. Or, as the case may be, rummage in your pantry and squabble around in the fridge and use whatever you can find. 🙂
What to put in Coconut Curry
This is where things get fun. You can literally put anything in this Easy Coconut Curry Sauce and it’s going to taste great. Here are some ideas:
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Lentils, pumpkin, spinach and cashews (pictured). Terrific combination my friends go bonkers over;
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Chicken, fish or prawns – sear before starting recipe, then add them back in later;
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Sweet potato, normal potato, zucchini, beans, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, asparagus, squash;
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Other legumes – chickpeas are sensational, and any other type of beans.
I’ve included a guide in the recipe notes for when to add different ingredients. For proteins, it’s well worth searing them before starting the recipe, then just add them back in later once the sauce is done.
30 minutes. That’s how far away you are from a homemade-from-scratch Coconut Curry.
The flavour is not quite as in-your-face punchy like with Butter Chicken or Chicken Tikka Masala, but it’s still got quite an intense Indian-style curry flavour.
But then again, you haven’t had to marinate overnight and you’ve used half the spices.
But no one would ever say this is lacking in taste. No one has ever accused me of making bland food – and I intend to keep it that way!! – Nagi x
PS If you’re after a milder, more creamy style Western curry, try this Everyday Chicken Curry – a 5 ingredients from scratch curry sauce.
If you love coconut milk sauces, you’ll love these!
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An amazing easy Thai Coconut Noodle Soup
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Browse the Curry Collection
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Easy Coconut Curry Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger , finely grated
- 1/2 onion , finely chopped (brown or yellow)
- 400g/14oz can coconut milk (full fat)
- 1 cup/ 250 ml chicken broth
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml tomato passata (tomato puree) (Note 1)
- 400 g/14 oz can brown lentils , drained
- 250 g / 8 oz pumpkin (~3 cups) , cut into 2cm / 4/5" cubes
- 80 g / 2 cups (packed) baby spinach
- 1/2 cup cashews , unsalted (roasted or raw) (Note 2)
- 1/2 tsp each salt + pepper
Spices:
- 1 tbsp garam masala (Note 3)
- 2 tbsp curry powder (mild or spicy, your choice) (Note 4)
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp paprika (sweet, or hot for spice!)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
Serving:
- Coriander/cilantro leaves, whole or chopped
- Chopped cashews (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a deep skillet or pot over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger, cook for 2 minutes until onion is a bit tinged with gold.
- Add Spices and stir for 1 minute - don't worry if it looks a bit dried out.
- Add coconut milk, passata and broth. Stir until incorporated.
- Add lentils and pumpkin. Bring to simmer then adjust heat so it's simmering energetically.
- Simmer for 10 minutes or until pumpkin is tender but not mushy, and sauce has thickened.
- Stir through baby spinach until wilted, then cashew nuts.
- Add salt and pepper last, adjusting to taste.
- Serve over rice, sprinkled with coriander and extra cashews, if using.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Yes, he even eats shampoo bubbles….
Ulu says
Hi Nagi, I did all the same things but the taste of the sauce seems bitter. I added some leak as veggie could that have been the mistake? Please help. Thanks
Nagi says
Hi Ulu, I’ve found that different brands of curry powder have slightly different flavours – can I ask what brand you used? Or it could have possibly been the passata, I sometimes add a little sugar to take away the tartness of passata and tinned tomatoes.
Elisabeth says
Another great recipe. But i have redused the curry powder to 2 tsp in stead of 2 tbsp. And no garam masala. For extra heat i used 1 tsp chiliflakes.
Thank
Nagi says
Great to hear you enjoyed this one Elisabeth! Thanks for letting me know – N x
Michelle says
This dish was soooo delicious. Thanks for another great recipe 😊
Nagi says
I’m so pleased you enjoyed this Michelle! Thank you for letting me know! N x
penny minkkinen says
Making this just now, have had a little taste test… really good. I love the fact that everything in this recipe was in the fridge or pantry, except fresh coriander.
Rob R says
I just made this last night and loved it. What spice do you recommend to increase the heat?
Nagi says
HI Rob! Cayenne pepper or any chilli powder will go great in this!
Kellie Bright says
Hi Nagi, Another winner! Could this be frozen? Cheers, Kellie
Nagi says
Yes! This freezes SO WELL! N x
Simone says
Another great flavoursome curry! Very quick and easy to make. Can’t wait to try other recipes!
Nagi says
That’s so great to hear Simone! I’m so pleased you enjoyed this, thank you for letting me know! N x
Lara says
Another smashing recipe that goes into the hubby-approved pile 🙂 His comments went from “it’s good” to “this is really good”! For reference, I used a mild curry powder, a medium garam masala, and a hot paprika – perfect for us. Thanks Nagi!
Nagi says
Love hearing that Lara! Thanks for sharing your feedback! N x ❤
Lara says
Oh! And I forgot to mention, I decided to try using coconut cream rather than milk, it gave a beautifully thicker sauce that worked brilliantly!
Emily says
Hi have you try adding chicken thigh fillets in the curry before?
Nagi says
I totally make this curry using chicken, it’s SO GOOD. Sear first, remove, then proceed with recipe and add it back in with the pumpkin 🙂
Eija Sipilä says
Great recipe. This is now of topic, but: I liked the song at your video. What is the song and who is the singer?
Nagi says
Hi! It’s just a stock track 🙂 Let me see if I can find the video project file and find it for you!
Jill says
This my second recipe this week – absolutely delicious. Didn’t change anything. Already recommended the website to friends. Thank you Nagi, I am not a confident cook but this has made me feel much better. Our dinner with friends last night went off without a hitch and they loved it!!
Nagi says
That’s so great to hear Jill! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this! N x
Jane Hasselstrom says
Made this two nights ago and it was perfect. Obviously the Garam Masala and curry powder I used weren’t the spicy variety as my two kids (6&4) loved it!
Will make again tonight but vary the main components to include chickpeas and sweet potato. Thanks again Nagi for a great recipe.
Jane.
Sandy says
I quartered the amounts of curry powder and garam masala ( the mix we use is quite hot), and kept everything else spicewise the same. Substituted silverbeet for the spinach. Came out as a delicious curry that we’d rate as a “medium” on the spice scale. Hot enough to keep the adults happy and mild enough for the teenager to enjoy it too. The under 12s voted it too hot to consider eating and opted for burritos instead.
I would not have wanted to try it with the spice quantities listed! But then these things are incredibly variable – I know the garam masala we use from the local spice shop is orders of magnitude hotter than the supermarket blend I used to use.
This one’s a keeper.
Alix says
I should have done that. I used the quantities given and it was so hot my husband refused to eat it. Am currently cooking pasta with peas and bacon instead. I will be eating vegie curry for the next week! It was a standard Keen’s Curry powder and Masterfoods garam masala – so nothing over the top. 🙁
Nagi says
Hi Sandy! I’m glad you enjoyed this! And yes, it’s the same with curry powder, it ranges from mild to SUPER hot so I’m glad you knew your garam masala was extra spicy! The supermarket stuff I use is not spicy at all 🙂 N xx
Angela Murray says
I Nagi, I freeze jars straight form the stores of onion and garlic powder. They stay lovely and powdery, instead ion turning into hard lumps after a few weeks in my humid kitchen. I used to have to throw them away after a while, as they also smelt a bit weird once they had deteriorated. Now they keep for ever.
marianne says
Angela, you just changed my life too!! I was always scraping out the bottom of the onion powder jar with a stainless steel chopstick!! THANK YOU!
Angela Murray says
My kitchen drawers have more space in them since I have disposed of: knitting needles, out sized metal skewers, screwdrivers of various sizes and a hammer to break up the lumps of concrete that I eventually managed to dislodge.
Changed my life too! I wonder why it took me so long.
Nagi says
OMG YOU MAU HAVE JUST CHANGED MY LIFE! I am constantly scraping onion and garlic powder and passing through a sieve!!!
Angela Murray says
Secrets of restaurant meals at home. I came across this little book a couple of couple of years ago, having always been on the search for that lovely Indian restaurant quality food. To my utter astonishment, I discovered that a basic sauce is made that covers nearly all dishes, ( this was no surprise, as this must clearly be the case, ) but my astonishment came on finding out the sauce is a BOILED sauce: Onions, garlic, ginger , water, blended until smooth and then boiled. I made this sauce, ready to toss it out as probably revolting, but NO, this sauce it is just great when subsequently used as the basis for a curry, and no FAT/OIL.
Can be frozen.
Book is called The Curry Secret, by Kris Dhillon. A very small book from
http://www.littlebrown.co.uk. and was originally published 1989
It has a companion: Chinese Cookery Secrets, which I haven’t yet got. I have a feeling that is not the ingredients that make the difference but secret techniques.
Nagi says
NO WAY!!! NO WAY!!!! (She is screeching!) I have GOT to find this book!!!
Angela Murray says
With the The Curry Secret- Indian Restaurant Cookery at Home book, I didn’t purchase Kris Dhillon’s latest book, The New Curry Secrets, as I wondered if it might have gone away from the original, so I bought her updated 2008 version. A small book , no pictures, but a REVELATION. I might be wrong of course, re her latest book.
i have now ordered Chinese Cookery Secrets by Deh-Ta- Hsiung via Book Depository. I can’t wait to see what this little book may reveal.
Did you know you can cook chicken portions straight from frozen in the pressure cooker? I experimented with 6 bone in chicken legs, added an extra 4 mins to the unfrozen cooking time, and what a miracle!! No defrosting, partial cooking in the microwave oven, etc. etc, just straight in the sauce and prepared spices as per recipe for my curry, and on the table in 10mins. Used quick release. You probably did know.
Nagi says
I know!!! Only with portions though 🙂 Not breast!
Will says
Hi Nagi, could I brown some beef and use this recipe base with the coconut milk etc in the slow cooker?
Rebecca says
Ive had to triple the recipe as I have a household of teens! I’ve also added shredded roastisery chicken to this (precooked for time saving). Can the sauce be frozen?
Janice says
Would it work with low fat coconut milk, and can you freeze?
Ron says
Great instructional post! A sound flavor base inmy humble opinion, which I believe will be anything but “meh”. Plan to give it a try this week.
Dozer looks like he enjoys eating shampoo or then again it could be meringue.
Joyce says
Hi Nagi, Thank you very much for sharing this awesome recipe. I’ve used this to make lamb with cashew curry. It was really yummy. Thank you 😊
Gillian Didier Serre says
Hi Nagi. .if I may add my dimes worth of comment, good of you to do a style of curry sauce that the timid folks will try. .being an Anglin indian from “The British Raj” we often use curry powder and add more spices 👍 if you live a hectic life making curry from scratch is time consuming. .I made the recipe and the extra I added was fresh coriander as a finish and garnish👍 BTW Dozer your Canadian Penn pal is going for shampoo and cut on thursday🐕 xo